Bearing structure



I Nov. 30, 1943. z. J. ATLEE BEARING STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 25, 1940 mvsNToR BY ze@ C/"aaee l Patented Noir. 3o, 1943 BEARING STRUCTURE Zed J. Atlee, Elmhurst, Ill., assigner to General Electric X-Ray Corporation, Chicago, lll., a corporation o! New York Application November 25, 1940, Serial No. 366,976

5 Claims. (Cl. 308-241) My invention relates in general to anti-friction devices, and has more particular reference to bearings, especially bearings for service under vacuum conditions.

The present application is a continuation in part of my co-pending application, Serial No. 284,273, filed July 13', 1939, now matured into Patent No. 2,293,037, issued August 18, 1942.

An important object of the invention is to provide means for processing'a bearing in order, in a sense, to lubricate the same Without using a lubricant having a vapor pressure such as to cause evaporation of the lubricating medium and migration thereof from the bearing under the temperature conditions to which the bearing is subjected when in operation. l

Another important object resides in providing a new method of insuring that a bearing, operating under low pressure or vacuum conditions, shall retain its anti-friction qualities without resort to lubrication as presently applied in bearings, the invention having as a further important object the provision of a method of processing anti-friction devices of the character mentioned atmospheric pressure and not to exceed 10-6 mms of mercury at high temperatures of the order of 200 centigrade, whereby the lubricating medium may not migrate from a treated bearing operating under low pressure and high temperature conditions.

Another important object resides in processing a bearing particularly for use in X-ray generators to support a rotating element of the generator for operation within a sealed evacuated enclosure in which the operating temperature at the processed bearing may reach the order of 200 centigrade and up.

Another important object resides in the provision of means for applying the lubricating medium to the bearing after" the same has been sealed within the evacuated enclosure.

Another important object resides in applying a lubricating medium of thecharacter mentioned by flashing the same as a vapor upon the bearing surfaces to be treated, and causing the vapor to condense upon said surfaces to form a film of relatively soft material having lubricating qualities but which will not migrate from the treated surfaces even under conditions of high temperature and low pressure through the mechanical cohesion of the filmed material and its low vapor pressure.

Another important object resides in applying the material as a film on the surfaces to be treated by providing a supply of said material in position adjacent such surfaces, then evaporating or flashing the material, by heating the same, to produce vapor, and directing the vapor toward and upon the surfaces to be treated; a further object being to arrange the supply of material in a capsule or casing, preferably in the form of a hollow lamentary wire having a weakened wall portion through which the vaporized material may be expelled, the casing or capsule being mounted with its weakened wall facing toward the surfaces to be treated; a further object being to utilize an electrical current flowing in said lamentary wire capsule for the purposeof vaporizing the material,

Another important object is to provide means for delivering electrical current for flashing the material to a supply of the material sealed within an evacuated chamber. t

A further object is to provide an X-ray generator includinga bearing enclosed in the sealed evacuated envelope of the generator, and in utilizing the stem on which the bearing is mounted asa circuit forming part for the delivery of lcurrent to a supply of vaporizable material within the envelope.

These and numerous other important objects, advantages, and inherent functions of the invention will become apparent as the same is more fully understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing,

Figure 1 is a sectional v iew taken through an X-ray generator provided with a rotating anode supported by a bearing structure of a type adapted for treatment in accordance with my present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view talren n substantially along the line 2 2 in Figure 1, illustrating one mode of applying my present invention;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 in Figure 2; and y Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 in Figure 3.

To illustrate my invention I have shown on the drawing an X-ray generator Il comprising a rotating anode I3 supported within a sealed apparent, as the description proceeds, that my invention is not necessarily limited to X-ray generators orj even necessarily to bearings for operation under conditions of high temperature and low pressure. Nevertheless', my invention has great value in providing improved bearing means having unusually line operating characteristics at high temperatureand low pressure, and so I have chosen to demonstratel my invention as applied in X-ray generators, in the operation of which such excessive conditions of high heat and low pressure are encountered.

,The generator shown, of course, includes a cathode C of any usual or preferred character, and the anode is Vsupported by the bearing I on a spindle I3, which is shown mounted on and supported by the envelope II-at one end thereof. v As shown, the envelope has an extension 2I, within which the anode I3 is snugly disposed for rotation, the envelope having a reentrant sleeve-like portion 23 forming an annular space 25 between the envelope extension 2| and the reentrant portion 23.

The spindle I9 has an outwardly extending portion which is provided ywith means 29 formfeasible to lubricate bearings under conditionsl necessarily maintained in X-ray generators. Excessive bearing wear results,.particularly at the high temperatures encountered in the generator, with the resultant development of anode vibral0 tion, which rapidly renders the device unusable.

Excessive bearing wear also results in the production of minute wear products, which also impair the operation of the generator as the same become dissipated from the bearings within the A envelope.

the invention is by no means limited to such 'particular apparatus and, in fact, may be applied to advantage in any bearing structure.

In practicing my invention, I select a suitable material adapted to be applied as a vapor and to condense and form a lm upon the bearing suring an annular shoulder carrying an annular metal seal 33 with the inner en'd of the reentrant envelope portion 23. This seal, through the memp flanged member 3l sealed thereon. The member 3I has a peripheral edge forming a glass-tofaces to be treated, the selected material desirably having several qualities, including not only softness and owability, with low internal coefficient of friction when in film-like form, but. also au suicient-mechanical cohesion to cause the lmed ber 3|, supports the spindle on the envelope with a spindle portion 35 extending within the envelope, the. anode bearings I5 being mounted on said inwardly extending spindle portion 35.

It should be understood that X-ray generators function to Aproduce X-rays in response to the activation of the anode by electronic action established by the operation of the cathode I3. This electronic action comprises the,impinge ment of electrons emitted /by the cathode upon a target 31 forming a part lof the anode, and such electronic impingement results in the generation of relatively large quantities of heat, which is dissipated thence through the body of the anode material to be retained upon the treated bearing surfaces, the property of wetting,the bearing surfaces to be treated, low vapor pressure to prevent evaporation at the pressures and tempera- 35 tures to which the treated bearing is to be exposed, and, unless the bearing is to be in operation in an oxygen-free atmosphere, the lubricat- I3, and also into-the interior of the casing I1.--

, When in operation, the temperature of the X-ray generator and particularly of the anodemay be ofthe order of 500 centigrade. l

In conditioning an X-ray generator for operation, the envelope I'I is ytreated to remove all gaseous andother impurities, the same being ing media, in accordance with'the teachings of accomplished by evacuating the envelope as by e Ifthe danger of over- A heating and burning the target itself, as a result of electron impact. Considerable diiculty has been encountered in providing means for supporting the anode for rotation. during the life v of the generator, under the excessivelyV high teinperature conditions and`the low pressure necessarily maintained within the `envelope I1, since it is ,not feasible to apply usual bearing lubrication because lubricantsof the character heretofore known will not remain in the bearings under the 'low pressure condition necessarily maintained in the envelope. but will instantly l' evaporate and beome dissipated within the en.-

ing material should not-normally oxidize. Where the bearing is applied in an evacuated X-ray generator, the problem of oxidation of the filmed lubricating mediumwill not, of course, be encountered. However, if the treated bearing is for use in the ordinary atmosphere, or elsewhere exposed to oxidation, the lubricating medium should beof a character normally resisting oxidation. I have found that barium, strontium, magnesium, and cobalt, are adapted for use as lubricatmy present invention; that combinations of these materials may be used; and, in fact. in treating bearings -for use in X-ray generators, I prefer to employ barium, as a lubricating film appliedupon the bearing surfaces. The foregoing 'materials have vapor pressures of the order of 10- at temperatures of the order of 200 centigrade andare therefore well adapted for use as lubricants in bearings operating under low pressure conditions. Where operating pressuresare relatively higherfother metals such as caesium and sodium are available in addition to those Aspeciied for excessively low pressure service.

` The selected material Vis applied upon the bearing surfaces, in accordance with my present invention, by vaporizing the same and directing a stream' of the vaporized material upon the vbearing surfaces to be treated whereby thus to condense the vapor'and form a thin film of -the material upon the surfaces to be treated. Vaporiza tion and delivery of the material upon the surfacesmay be `accomplished in any suitable or preferred manner. A supply of the material, for example, may be positioned in a, capsule or con- `tainer having an opening facing the surfaces to be treated, and the material then heated in the 'and outer race portions.

capsule any convenient mannerfas by thel passage of an electrical current in order to lva porize the material within the capsule and blowing the resulting vapor through the capsule opening and upon the surfaces to be processed. Al-

electrical currentI through the wire in order to expel the lubricating medium as a vapor upon the surfaces to be treated. Such wires as thcriated tungsten and alloys .of silver and zinc may be utilized in this manner. Heating coils of tungsten wire in pocket shape, with a small quantity of the lubricating medium enclosed in the pocket, may similarly be used. As the tungsten wire is heated to the melting point of the metal so enclosed, an alloy of the lubricating medium with the tungsten wire may be formed on the surfaces of the wire, and this alloy in turn may then be re-evaporated in order to produce a film-of the lubricating medium upori.l the surfaces to be treated. man

I prefer, however, in treatingbearings for use in' X-ray generators, to employ a hollow illamentary wirefW, preferably of iron or nickel, containing within the wire a quantity of the lubricating `material L, such as pure barium, thel hollow wire being weakened by reducing 'its wall thickness along one side of the wire, 'as indicated at S. By passing an electrical current through The spindle portion 35 is formed with a shoulder 41 providing a seat for the inner race of the bearing 44, the bearing being clamped in said seat and held in position on the stem preferably by means of a nut 5I threaded on the stem. The stem 35 is also threaded to receive clampv ing nuts l53 and 55 between which is clampingly secured on the stem the inner race of the bearing 45, and a heat shield 51 may be provided for the bearing 43 and'supported on theclamping nut 55 in position extending between the target-carrying end of the anode, in which maxi- The spindle I3 is provided with a longitudi nally extending duct 53 extending from the outwardly exposed end of the spindle to apoint in the spindle portion 35 intermediate the bearings 44 and 45, said duct 53 opening laterally on the portion 35 within the bore or channel 31 of the anode support element 35. The outer end of the duct 51 is enlarged, and has sealed therein a sleeve 5I, preferably comprising forty-two perthe wire W, the material L may be vaporized Y therein, the vapor products being,` blown out through the weakened wall section S, and of course by supporting the wire with the surface S facing toward the bearing surfaces to be treated, the vaporized medium, may be directeddirectly upon such bearing surfaces.

Asshown in the drawing, the anode I3 comprises a cylindrical body having an open end ex-l tending in the annular envelope space in pothus forms a shield for protectingrthe seal 33 from deterioration through impingement of stray electrons thereon. The opposite end of the anode `body is enclosedyas at 33, and affords a. mounting for the target 31. Externally the'cylin-A drical walls of the anode form a. seat on which is secured the rotor 4I of 'an electric motor, 'the' stator 43 of which encircles ,the envelope extenable or convenient form, and illustrated as balls,

being conventionally retained between the inner AThe anode I3 may, of course, be mounted on the bearing elements in any suitable or preferred fashion, although I have shown the same in the 4drawing clampingly secured on a cylindrical sion 2| in cooperative relationship with the rotor cent nickel steel, a material adapted to seal readily with glass.

A lead conductor 53 is arranged in the duct 53 with one end of said conductor extending outwardly of the sleeve 6I, and the other end pro- 'jeoting through the end of the duct which opens on the spindle portion 35. Suitable insulating means 55, such as a sleeve of magnesium silicate, or a plurality of glass beads embracing the conductor within the duct 53, is provided for insulating the 4conductor electrically from the stem I3 in which it is arranged,r the outer end of the duct being sealed preferably by means of a glass globule 51 applied withinthe sleeve 5I around the conductor 33.

Within the space 31 I mount suitable support means for a supply of the lubricating material L, and utilize the conductor 33 and the spindle Ilas'clrcuit forming means 'for4 electrically energizing vthematerial L to vaporize the same within the channel 31, in order to process the bearings ls. In the illustrated embodiment this is accomplished by'arranging a length of the mamentary tubular wire W on the stem portion 35, said wire being arranged to form loopsl 53 .in position opposite ,the bearings I5, with the weakened-surfaces-'of the wire portions forming said loops '53 facing toward the bearings. The' loops` 53 areA electrically interconnected, preferably in series, in any suitable fashion by means of] an integral portion of the wire fW extending between, the `loops 53. One ofthe loops is electrically connected as `by soldering or welding the sane upon the spindle portion 35, the other loop being electrically connected with the end of the conductor 53 which is exposed within the channel 51. If desired, the spindle 35 sleeve-like anode mounting element 35, upon may be provided with insulating means for supporting the wire W rigldlyin positlon,'although ordinarily additioual-` support is not required Asince the wire itselfllrias sumcient rigidity to maintain itself in assembled position, at least until'after the material L has been flashed in processing thebaring. l

It will be seen from the 'foregoing that by connecting a suitable source of electrical potential between the outwardly exposed end of the conductor 53 and the spindle I3, an electrical heatwith the metallic vapor that is flashed on the ing current may be caused to flow through the wire W in order to raise the temperature of the wire to a point at'which the material L vaporizes, in order thus,'as heretofore described, to cause the expulsion of vapor through' the weakened wall S at the loops 89 and thence upon the bearings. f

I'I and after' the envelope has beenevacuated, as heretofore described, yso that flashing of the material L is accomplished substantially in vacuo and after the envelop I1 has been completely sealed. The hash products, however, will not escape to any detectable extent from the hollow anode. The vaporized products, however, impinging upon the facing surfaces of the bearings, which preferably arev rotated during the flashing of the material L, immediately condense upon the surfaces to form a film thereon, the inner face of the film wetting the surface material of the bearing and forming an alloy therewith which holds the illm in place. The rotation of the bearings causes substantially all of the surfaces thereof required to be treated to receive the coated film of the lubricating material; and since the flash products are conned substantially within the chamber 81 no migration of such products outwardly of the bearings and theA hollow anode is detectable, and the vvacuum condition within the envelope is not in any way impaired as a result of the flashing operation.

In order to seal and protect the exposed end of the conductor il, the outer end of the stem I! may be threaded, as shown 4at 1i, to receive a cover cap 13, the outer end of which may be threaded as shown, or otherwise nished as desired, said cap being preferably threaded for the reception of heat dissipating means thereon by means of which heat developed at the anode may, in part, be dissipated from the generator by conduction through the anode support sleeve 85, the bearings I5, and the spindle outwardly of the envelope i1. f

The flashing of the material L from the wire W may be controlled so that the lubricating medium L may be repeatedly flashed on the bearing surfaces. This may be accomplished in any suitable manner, for example, by controlling the amount of heating current and the time of flow through the wire .Wr In this manner, the

lubrication of the bearings can be renewed from time to time in a very simplemanner.

It has been found that the best results are ob- The bearings preferably are thus processed for y the application of a film of the lubricating medium L thereon, after assembly in theenvelope 'Excellent results have'been obtained when the working surface of the bearing has been formed Circle C (Firth Sterling Company), this` alloy tained where there is apparently the formation of an alloy. This may be accomplished by vaporizing ontheworkingsurfaceofthebearingin succession two or more thin-illms of a metallic lubricating medium, or by forming the bearing itself of a type of material which forms an alloy bearing surface. In general, this latter method is preferred, because the lubricating alloy is an integral part of the working surface of the bearing. Itwillbeunderstood that the working surltalliclwatingshasanalloying actionwiththe metalor metals from which the working surface ofthebearingiamade.

comprising about 18% tungsten,l about 9% cobalt. about 4.5% chromium, about 1.75%- vanadium, about 1% molybdenum, and 0.77% carbon, the remainder being substantially all iron.

Among the metals which have been applied as a vapor to this type of bearing are the following: Barium, magnesium, strontium and cobalt. It

will be recognized that there is a possibility of two or more different alloys being formed-where the bearing surface is formed from an alloy. For example, in, employing abearing material 'of the type just mentioned, itis possible that the lubricating alloy formed vmay ILbe a barium-cobalt layer, and since chromium is also present, there may also be' a barium-chromium layer.

The lubricating action has also been obtained by vaporizing barium onto 18% chromium.. 8% nickel stainless steel bearing surfaces. In one series of test's, a layer of cobalt vaporized on S. A. E. 52-100 steel provided relatively slight lubrication and vaporized barium alone provided very slight lubrication, but just as soon as a barium layer was added on top of the cobalt, excellent lubrication developed. This proves very clearly that at least one lubricating hlm is a ingsimilar chemical characteristicswhich may be mentioned are cobalt, chromium, aluminum, zirconium, rhodium, manganese, iron and nickel. Among the elements which are preferably ailoyed with these elements by vaporization are barium, strontium, cobalt and magnesium. For example, barium may be alloyed with any one of the elements mentioned, or withcombinations thereof, and the same is true of strontium, cobalt and 'magnesium I have found that bearings treated in accordance with the teachings of my present invention are able to operate substantially without wear and withoutconventional lubrication throughout extended service periods, under excessive low pressure and high heat conditions.v When used in X-ray generators, bearings processed in accordance wth my present invention have an extended service life, usually outlastingthe normal life of the generator itself.

-It is thought that the invention anda-its numerous attendant advantages will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, nor sacrificing its attendant advantages, the forms herein disclosed being merely for the purpose of demonstrating 'the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

l. Abearing havingaworking surface and av thin alloy film coated on said working surfaceto lubricate said bearing, said alloy film including a metal selectedfrom 'the class consisting of barium, magnesiumv and strontium alloyed with the material of said working surface, and cobalt. 2. A bearing comprising a working surface and atbinalloyillmcoatedonsa'idworkingsurfacef to lubricate said bearing. said alloy film inclu ing a metal selected from the class consisting of barium, magnesium and strontium alloyed with the material of said working surface, and including an alloy containing cobalt as an alloyv constituent thereof.

3. A bearing having a working surface comprising alloy steel including cobalt `as an alloy constituent of the steel, and a thin alloy film coated on said working surface to lubricate said bearing, said alloy lm including a metal selected from the class consisting of barium, magnesium and strontium, alloyed with lthe material `of said l working surface.

4. A bearing having a working surface' comprising' an alloy including barium and cobalt as alloy constituents thereof.

5. A bearing having a. working surface com prising an alloy containing cobalt as an alloy constituent and having a thin lm of metallic barium condensed thereon and alloyed with the cobalt constituent of said working surface.

zED J. ATLEEL 

